Root Locus

Introduction

• Consider a unity feedback control system shown

below.

• The open loop transfer function G(s) of the system

1
is G ( s ) 
s 1
and 𝐾 is the forward path gain

• And the closed loop transfer function is

C (s) G (s) K
 
R( s) 1  G ( s) s  1  K
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 Introduction
• Location of closed loop Pole for different values of K
(remember K>0). Y ( s) K

R( s) s  1Pole-Zero
 K Map
K Pole 1

0.5 -1.5
1 -2 0.5
Imaginary Axis

2 -3
0
3 -4
5 -6
-0.5
10 -11
15 -16
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-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 3
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 What is Root Locus?
• The root locus is the path of the roots of the CL
characteristic equation traced out in the s-plane
as a system parameter varies from zero to infinity.

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 How to Sketch root locus?
• One way is to compute the roots of the
characteristic equation for all possible values
of K.
K Pole
0.5 -1.5
Y ( s) K 1 -2
 2 -3
R( s) s  1  K
3 -4
5 -6
10 -11
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 How to Sketch root locus?
• Computing the roots for all values of K might
be tedious for higher order systems.
K Pole
0.5 ?
1 ?
Y ( s) K
 2 ?
R( s) s( s  1)(s  10)(s  20)  K
3 ?
5 ?
10 ?
15 ?
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 Construction of Root Loci
• Finding the roots of the characteristic equation of degree
higher than 3 is laborious and will need computer solution.
• A simple method for finding the roots of the characteristic
equation for a varying parameter has been developed by
W. R. Evans and used extensively in control engineering.

• This method, called the root-locus method, is one in which

the roots of the characteristic equation are plotted for all
values of a system parameter.
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Magnitude Criterion and Phase Criterion
• Consider the CL feedback control system shown in
following figure where K varies from 0 to ∞

• The closed loop transfer function is (are you able to

derive this?)
Y ( s) KG ( s)
GCL ( s)  
R( s) 1  KG ( s)

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Magnitude Criterion and Phase Criterion

• The characteristic equation is obtained by setting the

denominator polynomial of GCL (s) equal to zero.
1  KG(s)  0
• Which values of ‘s’ will make it lie on the RL?
 All ‘s’ that satisfies 1  KG(s)  0 is:
– a closed loop pole
– Lies on the RL for some K

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 Construction of Root Loci
• ‘s’ lies on the RL, if:
1  KG(s)  0
• Or KG(s)  1
• Since G(s)H(s) is a complex quantity it can be split
into a magnitude and a phase part.

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 Angle & Magnitude Conditions
• The angle of KG(s)  1 is: KG(s)    1
•
G(s)  180 (2k  1)
• Angle Criterion
where k=1,2,3…
• The magnitude of KG(s)  1 is
• or, K G(s)   1

• or, K G( s)  1 Magnitude Criterion

• or,
1
K
G ( s)
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 Angle & Magnitude Conditions
• Angle Criterion
G(s)  180 (2k  1) (k  1,2,3...)
• Magnitude Criterion
K G( s)  1
• The values of s that fulfill both the angle and
magnitude conditions are the roots of the
characteristic equation, or the closed-loop poles.

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Checking Magnitude and Phase Criterion - numerically
• Example 1: For a unity feedback system with 𝐺 𝑠 =
(𝑠+3)(𝑠+4)
check if
(𝑠+1)(𝑠+2)
𝑖) 𝑠 = −2 + 𝑗3 and/or,
√2
ii) −2 + 𝑗 lie on the RL or not.
2

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Checking Magnitude and Phase Criterion - numerically
• Example 1: For a unity feedback system with 𝐺 𝑠 =
(𝑠+3)(𝑠+4)
check if
(𝑠+1)(𝑠+2)
𝑖) 𝑠 = −2 + 𝑗3 and/or,
√2
ii) −2 + 𝑗 lie on the RL or not.
2

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Checking Magnitude and Phase Criterion - numerically
• Example 1: For a unity feedback system with 𝐺 𝑠 =
(𝑠+3)(𝑠+4)
check if
(𝑠+1)(𝑠+2)
𝑖) 𝑠 = −2 + 𝑗3 and/or,
√2
ii) −2 + 𝑗 lie on the RL or not.
2

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Geometrical Interpretation of Phase

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Geometrical Interpretation of Phase

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 RL – Rule 1
• Step-1: How many RL branches will be there?
• Equal to ‘n’ = no of open loop poles

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 RL – Rule 1
• Step-1: How many RL branches will be there?
.

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 RL – Rule 2
• Step-2: RL with respect to real axis is _____________
.

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 RL – Rule 3
• Step-3: Start and Ending of the RL
.

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 RL – Rule 3
• Step-3: Start and Ending of the RL
.

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 RL – Rule 4
• Step-4: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• Next, select a test point p2 on the
negative real axis between 0 and Pole-Zero Map
–1. 1

• Then
0.5

Imaginary Axis
• Thus p2
0

• The angle criterion is satisfied. -0.5

Therefore, the portion of the
negative real axis between 0 and
–1 forms a portion of the root -1
locus. -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
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 RL – Rule 4
• Step-4: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• Next, select a test point p2 on the
negative real axis between 0 and Pole-Zero Map
–1. 1

• Then
0.5

Imaginary Axis
• Thus p2
0

• The angle criterion is satisfied. -0.5

Therefore, the portion of the
negative real axis between 0 and
–1 forms a portion of the root -1
locus. -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
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 RL – Rule 4
• Step-4: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• Now, select a test point p3 on the
negative real axis between -1 and Pole-Zero Map
1
–2.
• Then
0.5

Imaginary Axis
p3
• Thus 0

-0.5
• The angle criterion is not
satisfied. Therefore, the negative
real axis between -1 and –2 is not -1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
a part of the root locus. Real Axis
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 RL – Rule 4
• Step-4: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• Now, select a test point p3 on the
negative real axis between -1 and Pole-Zero Map
1
–2.
• Then
0.5

Imaginary Axis
p3
• Thus 0

-0.5
• The angle criterion is not
satisfied. Therefore, the negative
real axis between -1 and –2 is not -1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
a part of the root locus. Real Axis
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 RL – Rule 4
• Step-4: Determine the root loci on the real axis.

Pole-Zero Map
• Similarly, test point p4 on the 1

negative real axis between -2

and – ∞ satisfies the angle 0.5
criterion.

Imaginary Axis
p4
0
• Therefore, the negative real
axis between -2 and – ∞ is part
of the root locus. -0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
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 RL – Rule 4
• Step-4: Determine the root loci onMap
Pole-Zero the real axis.
1

0.5
Imaginary Axis

-0.5

-1
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-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
RL – Rule 4
• A point on the real axis of s plane will lie on
the root locus if the sum of the no of poles
and zeros to the right of the point is ODD.
• Any point ‘s1’ on the real axis: To the right of it
as have ‘mz’ zeroes and ‘nz’ no of poles. If (mz
+ nz) is odd then s1 will lie on the RL

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 RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci. That
is, the root loci when s is far away from origin.
Asymptote is the straight line approximation of a curve

θ Actual Curve
Asymptotic Approximation
𝜎
𝜎 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑠
θ 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑠
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RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
• As 𝐾 → ∞, for the 𝑛 − 𝑚 branches of the RL s → ∞
along ASYMPTOTES.
• Using angle criterion, the angle made by the
asymptotes is given by:
180(2k  1)
Angle of asymptotes   
nm

• where k  0,1,2,  , n  m  1;
• n-----> number of poles
• m-----> number of zeros
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 RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
• For this Transfer Function
K
G( s) 
s( s  1)(s  2)

𝐾 𝐾
𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑎𝑐𝑕𝑒𝑠 3 𝑤𝑕𝑒𝑛 𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒,
𝑠(𝑠 + 1)(𝑠 + 2) 𝑠
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 − 3∠𝑠 = 180°(2𝑘 + 1)

180(2k  1)

30

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 RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.

  60 when k  0 180(2k  1)


 180 when k  1 30
 300 when k  2

• The angles for the asymptotes are determined as 60°, 300°,

and 180°.

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 RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.

• Before we can draw these asymptotes in the complex

plane, we need to find the point where they intersect the
real axis.

• Point of intersection of asymptotes on real axis (or

centroid of asymptotes) is

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 RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
• The asymptotes intersect the real axis at a point called the
CENTROID which comes from the magnitude criterion as:

  ( poles )   zeroes
nm
K
G( s) 
• For s( s  1)(s  2)
(0  1  2)  0 3
   1
30 3
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 RL – Rule 5
• Step-5: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
Pole-Zero Map
1

0.5

  60 ,60 , 180

Imaginary Axis

180 60

  1
0
  60

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
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 RL – Rule 6

• Step-6: Determine the breakaway/break-in point.

Pole-Zero Map
• The breakaway/break-in 1

point is the point from

which the root locus 0.5
branches leaves/arrives
real axis. Imaginary Axis

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
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 RL – Rule 6

• Step-6: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.

• The breakaway or break-in points can be determined by assuming

that K attains a local minimum for real s and from the roots of
dK
0
ds
• It should be noted that not all the solutions of dK/ds=0
correspond to actual breakaway points.

• If a point at which dK/ds=0 is on a root locus, it is an actual

breakaway or break-in point.

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 RL – Rule 6
• Step-6: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.
• The characteristic equation of the system is
K
1  G( s)  1  0
s( s  1)( s  2)
K
 1
s( s  1)(s  2)

• The breakaway point can now be determined as

K  s(s  1)(s  2)

  s( s  1)(s  2)

dK d
ds ds
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 RL – Rule 6
• Step-6: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.
s  0.4226 G( s) 
K
s( s  1)(s  2)
 1.5774
• Since the breakaway point needs to be on a root locus
between 0 and –1, it is clear that s=–0.4226 corresponds to
the actual breakaway point.
• Point s=–1.5774 is not on the root locus. Hence, this point is
not an actual breakaway or break-in point.

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 RL – Rule 6
• Step-6: Determine the breakawayPole-Zero
point.Map
1

0.5
Imaginary Axis

s  0.4226
0

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
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Real Axis
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 Construction of root loci
• Step-7: Determine the points where root loci cross the
K
imaginary axis. G( s) 
s( s  1)(s  2)
• Let s=jω in the characteristic equation, equate both the real
part and the imaginary part to zero, and then solve for ω and K.

• For present system the characteristic eqn is

s 3  3s 2  2s  K  0

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